The north of the Moscow Region, known as Homeland of the Crane, is a unique locality in highly developed region with still existing suitable habitats for rare waders. Homeland of the Crane is an Important Bird Area, included also in the shadow list of Ramsar Sites. New threats to meadow waders have appeared recently at this site due to large scale grassland ploughing and new drainage activities that have started after a preceeding long period of land abandonment. Also, vast areas of farmlands became subject to reclamation for building country houses for Moscow residents.

This project is a continuation of our previous activities aiming at conservation of meadow waders, including globally declining and threatened Great Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit and Eurasian Curlew in agricultural landscapes. A single existing reserve protects only 50 of 300 sq.km of farmlands in the Homeland of the Crane. According to our data 50% of populations of the Eurasian Curlew and Black-tailed Godwit bred in this reserve, whereas 80% of Great Snipes were counted in 2012 on unprotected meadows.

In 2012-2013 we prevented adverse impacts of ploughing on waders on lands of two landusers in the "Homeland of the Crane" Nature Reserve, but 70% of the area was not affected due to absence of active landusers. These lands were acquired in August 2013 by people not belonging to the local community. New landowners have no appropriate information about the biodiversity value of acquired lands and, furthermore, have little experience in agriculture (because their main business is not related to farming). One of our main activities in the course of the new project will be focused on prevention of destructive for waders management on 2000 ha of farmlands belonging to this new landowner.

We will also continue initiated in 2012 campaign against building of country houses for Moscow residents on valuable for rare birds farmlands via participating in public hearings and other discussions related to this problem. New field studies of rare waders will be undertaken with view of developing new practical conservation measures, and special attention will be paid to the Great Snipe. All activities will be implemented by the project executor in close cooperation with the Taldom Administration of Protected Natural Areas (TAPNA, local environmental agency; http://www.craneland.ru) with involvement of volunteers (photographers, birdwatchers, students, visiting Homeland of the Crane area).